Airbus starts construction of first Qantas Group A220 aircraft

Qantas Group announced (12-Jul-2023) construction has started on its first A220 aircraft. The A220's major airframe components, including the centre and rear fuselage, are coming together at Airbus' production facility in Mirabel, Canada. The first of 29 aircraft is expected to arrive in Australia before the end of 2023, with the A220s to gradually replace QantasLink's Boeing 717 fleet. The first QantasLink A220 will operate flights between Melbourne and Canberra, with subsequent aircraft to be deployed to other parts of the regional and domestic network. The A220 is also expected to open up new domestic and short haul international routes as more aircraft enter the fleet. [more - original PR]